In this guide, we will discuss the process of claiming sexual abuse compensation. If you’ve been the victim of rape or sexual assault, you may be able to claim compensation.
Sexual abuse compensation guide
There are two different channels through which you could claim compensation. You may be able to claim against the person who committed the crime directly. In order to do this, they must have been identified and they need to have the funds available to pay you compensation.
There is also the option of claiming through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The CICA is a government-sponsored agency that awards compensation to those injured in crimes of violence. In order to claim through them, you must have reported the incident to the police; however, you don’t need to know who the assailant is.
If one of our advisors deems that your sexual abuse compensation claim has a good chance of success, you could be connected to an expert criminal injury lawyer from our panel. Our panel of criminal injury solicitors are experienced with sexual assault claims and will work to seek you the highest amount of compensation you deserve. They will also discuss working with you on a No Win No Fee basis.
You can reach our friendly team of advisers by:
- Calling them on 0800 408 7825 to have a discussion about your case.
- Chatting with them through our instant message feature to get a response straight away.
- Filling in our claims form online to then receive a reply whenever you’re ready to talk.
Select A Section
- When Could You Claim Sexual Abuse Compensation?
- How To Get Compensation For Physical Injuries
- How To Get Compensation For Psychological Injuries
- Sexual Abuse Statistics
- Sexual Abuse Compensation Calculator
- Contact Us About Claiming Sexual Abuse Compensation
When Could You Claim Sexual Abuse Compensation?
Sexual abuse or assault is when one person forces a sex act onto someone else without their consent. Sexual offences are defined in the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Rape is defined as when someone penetrates the vagina, anus or mouth of another person with their penis without their consent. Consent is where someone freely agrees to something by choice and has the freedom or capacity to make that choice. This means that if someone is coerced into a sexual act with a threat of violence, this could also be considered rape.
Someone without a penis cannot be guilty of rape because of the definition above. However, a person without a penis may be found guilty of rape if they assist a perpetrator in an attack.
Sexual assault is where someone touches another person without their consent. This touching can be over or under clothing and can be done with a body part or another object.
Assault by penetration is where the assailant uses an object to penetrate the vagina or anus of someone else without consent.
Sexual offences against children
Children cannot legally consent to sexual activities until they reach the age of 16. This means that any sexual contact between an adult and someone younger than this is an offence.
Sexual abuse against a child can fall into two broad categories:
- Contact sexual abuse- This is where there is contact between the perpetrator and the child. This could include rape, sexual assault and touching or rubbing over or under clothing.
- Non-contact sexual abuse- This can include sexual abuse where there is no physical contact between the abuser and their victim. For example, this could include forcing a child to watch pornography or engage in a sexual conversation.
For more information on the circumstances that could entitle you to claim sexual abuse compensation, get in touch with a member of our claims team today.
How To Get Compensation For Physical Injuries
Below, we have included a list of injuries that you could sustain as a result of rape or sexual assault:
- Broken bones
- A head injury or brain damage
- Cuts and lacerations
- Bruising
- Internal injuries
- Contraction of an STI
This is not an exhaustive list, and you might have experienced another kind of physical injury as the result of a sexual assault or rape. To see whether you could be eligible to claim sexual abuse compensation, speak with our friendly advisors today.
How To Get Compensation For Psychological Injuries
Here are examples of psychological injuries you could receive compensation for:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – If your injury and accident were traumatic, you may have suffered PTSD as a result. This could cause flashbacks and impact your social and work life.
- Depression – Depression is a mental health disorder that causes you to feel persistently sad, unhappy or fed up for a period of weeks or months.
- Anxiety – You could develop anxiety as the result of a violent crime, including sexual assault. For example, you might find it difficult to do the things you did before your assault because you’re scared it will happen again.
You can claim sexual abuse compensation for psychological injuries caused by a crime of violence. Get in touch with a member of our team today for an assessment of your claim with no obligation to proceed.
Sexual Abuse Statistics
The NSPCC states that the Crime Survey for England and Wales 2019 asked a sample of adults who were aged 18-74 if they’d experienced child sexual abuse before they turned 16.
They found that 7.5% of adults aged 18-74 had been sexually abused before they turned 16 years old. This included 6% suffering contact sexual abuse and 3.2% suffering non-contact sexual abuse.
Statistics On Rape And Sexual Violence
The graph below includes statistics taken from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This shows the prevalence of sexual assault among adults aged 16 to 59, by type, in the year ending March 2017.
As you can see, women were more likely to report that they experienced sexual abuse of all kinds since the age of 16. Men were more likely to report having been the victim of indecent exposure or unwanted touching.
Sexual Abuse Compensation Calculator
The figures included in the criminal injury claim compensation table below are taken from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICA). They show how much compensation may be awarded for specific criminal injuries.
| Injury: | Notes: | Compensation: |
|---|---|---|
| Scarring | Neck – Serious disfigurement | £4,600 |
| Scarring | Neck – Significant disfigurement | £2,400 |
| Burns | Face – Severe | £27,000 |
| Burns | Face – Moderate | £3,500 |
| Brain Damage | Causing persistent problems with concentration, memory and mood control; however, this is slight and short-lived. | £6,200 |
| Head Injury | If there is any brain damage, it will be minimal and last for 28 weeks or more, but not permanent. | £1,500 |
| Eye | Lost sight in one eye | £22,000 |
| Eye | Lost sight in both eyes | £110,000 |
| Face | Permanent clicking jaw | £3,500 |
| Face | Jaw dislocation resulting in continuous disability. | £3,500 |
When you claim through the CICA, you can receive payment for your injuries as well as special expenses. Special expenses will cover any financial losses and costs that you’ve experienced. For example, you could claim for the cost of a physical aid (for example, spectacles) that were damaged in the attack.
However, you will only be awarded special expenses if you have lost earning potential for at least 28 weeks after the accident. Special expenses will be backdated; however, you will only be able to claim loss of earnings from the 29th week.
If you claim against the perpetrator directly, you could receive general and special damages. General damages cover your pain and suffering, while special damages cover the financial impact of your injuries.
If you’re eligible to make a sexual abuse compensation claim, one of our advisers may connect you to one of our criminal injury lawyers from our panel. They can then have a chat with you about representing you on a No Win No Fee basis; read on for more information on exactly what this means.
Contact Us About Claiming Sexual Abuse Compensation
A No Win No Fee agreement is a contract that states what conditions must be met by your lawyer before they are paid. This allows them to receive payment.
This type of agreement states that if your claim fails, won’t have to pay your lawyer. They also won’t request that you pay them upfront or while the claim is ongoing.
If you succeed in your claim, your solicitor will take a legally capped percentage of your compensation. The percentage will be small and will ensure that you receive the majority of the compensation.
Our team of advisers are always available to give free legal advice and talk through any questions you may have. If they’ve decided your claim is valid, you can be connected to an expert criminal injury lawyer from our panel to chat with you about No Win No Fee agreements and commence the sexual abuse compensation claims process.
Sexual Abuse Victim Resources
What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)?– This guide explains the role of the CICA in processing criminal injury claims.
What Are The Indicators Of Sexual Abuse?– This guide looks at how you could spot the signs of sexual abuse and pursue compensation for the harm caused.
Historic Sexual Abuse Claims– In this guide, we look at how compensation claims can be made where sexual abuse has occurred a long time ago.
How To Claim Domestic Violence Compensation – If you have been the victim of domestic violence this guide can help you claim compensation.
Crown Prosecution Service: Sentencing– This guide looks at how sexual offenders are sentenced.
NHS Sexual Assault– This guide looks at how you can get help after being raped or sexually assaulted.
Refuge.org.uk – You can find information about the Refuge charity for victims escaping sexual assault or rape on this site.
Thank you for looking through our article about sexual abuse compensation.
Guide by OA
Publisher ET